Mike Nadel: Are Cub fans more hopeful or fretful?

Monday

CHICAGO -- The state of the Cubs and an NBA referee accused of fixing games were among the subjects explored this week in my blog, The Baldest Truth.

The state of the Cubs and an NBA referee accused of fixing games were among the subjects explored this week in my blog, The Baldest Truth.

Here are some excerpts. Read more at www.thebaldesttruth.com.

Hope or Fret?

During the team’s day off Monday, Cubbie fans undoubtedly were hard at work doing what they do best: fretting and hoping.

Lou Piniella’s guys just went 7-3 on their post-All-Star-break homestand (hope!), but they managed only eight hits and two runs in losing their last two games to a non-championship-caliber Arizona team (fret!).

Here’s one man’s look at the Cubs going into this week’s series in St. Louis.

Starting rotation: Led by Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly, this group has been very sharp, and the off day will afford each of the five an extra day of rest. The Cubs have a huge advantage over most teams they play, including the Cardinals.

Bullpen: The relief corps had a lot to do with the Cubs’ outstanding run these last seven weeks but struggled near the end of the homestand. Piniella has pledged to give overworked Carlos Marmol a “nice little breather.” And the return of closer Ryan Dempster from injury should help every reliever assume a more comfortable role. Still, I understand if the fretters worry about a return to the bad old days of April and May.

Lineup: The Cubs lost three of five while Derrek Lee served his suspension for fighting, leading Piniella to talk about what happens when “you lose the No. 3 hitter in your lineup and you’ve gotten a couple other guys who’ve gone cold.” Sound familiar, Dusty Baker? The Cubs absolutely need a healthy Lee down the stretch.

Kerry Wood: He supposedly pitched spectacularly in a rehabilitation assignment and he’ll be headed to Peoria this week to step up his rehab. Do any two words ignite emotions in both the hopers and the fretters more than “Kerry” and “Wood”?

In summary ...

The hopers are saying: “Don’t worry. Be happy. We lost two of three to Arizona, but we didn’t lose any ground to Milwaukee!”

The fretters counter: “Yeah, but the Brewers lost two of three at home to San Francisco and we still didn’t gain any ground. I’m not happy. And I’m worried.”

Ref Riffraff

It’s only one referee in only one league in only one sport -- so far, anyway -- and I’m a big keep-things-in-perspective guy. Nevertheless, I cannot shake the horrible feeling I’ve had in my gut ever since I heard about the gambling allegations against former NBA ref Tim Donaghy.

The FBI is investigating Donaghy for betting on games, including those he refereed. Quoting an anonymous source, AP said the ref had a gambling problem and was approached by “low-level mob associates.”

The worst thing about this situation is the guilt by association other officials in all sports will face. I mean, if the mob can influence a well-paid NBA ref, what about officials in pro and college football and college basketball who aren’t paid nearly as much?

If there’s a game-changing call against your team, especially if it affects the final point spread, won’t you now wonder if the official was on the take?

Such thinking isn’t fair, but it’s human.

On the other hand, perhaps these revelations will spur the ruling bodies of all pro and major-college sports to create and/or improve undercover operations to ensure such horrid breaches never can happen again.

For many of us, the best thing about sports is the idea that any team can beat any other on any given day by playing well enough. If that ever stops being the case because games are fixed by the very people who are supposed to be enforcing fair play, then it’s all just pro wrestling and jai alai.

Big Series!

Circle Aug. 20 to 22 on your calendars, White Sox fans.

That’s when the Kansas City Royals come into town ... and fourth place could be on the line!